Splaine completes Nations’ Cup Squad for St. Gallen, announces Lisbon Riders

TEAM Ireland’s show jumping manager Robert Splaine has announced his fifth man for the Swiss Nations’ Cup squad who will line out at St. Gallen this weekend.

Twenty-three year old Alex Duffy from Mayo, who jumped for Ireland in the Europe Division Two Nations’ Cup at Copenhagen last week, will step up to the first division for the first time, with his horse Corona.

He will join Shane Breen, Shane Carey, Capt. Michael Kelly and Olympic bronze medallist Cian O’Connor on the five-man St. Gallen squad, from which Splaine will nominate his team of four for Friday’s Nations’ Cup class.

Splaine said today: “One of the main reasons for Ireland participating in the Division Two series is to give riders and horses experience at this type of team level, and these are stepping stones to the first division. Copenhagen worked particularly well in this respect.”

Splaine has also declared his five-man squad for the Nations’ Cup at Lisbon in Portugal next week. Ireland will be represented by Bertram Allen, Capt. Michael Kelly, Ross Mulholland, Niall Talbot and Billy Twomey.